SGGPO
This is the first hospital in Vietnam to successfully perform two advanced, specialized techniques at the same time to treat patients.
 |
| Doctor infuses stem cells to patient. Photo: BVCR |
On the afternoon of September 27, Cho Ray Hospital announced that it had just performed a simultaneous allogeneic stem cell transplant combined with a chemotherapy regimen with total body radiotherapy (TBI) to successfully treat a patient with lymphoma. This is the first hospital in Vietnam to successfully perform two advanced, specialized techniques at the same time to treat a patient.
The patient is Ms. NHO (46 years old, living in Binh Duong ) admitted to the Department of Hematology, Cho Ray Hospital with a diagnosis of recurrent follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma that was resistant to many previous treatment regimens. Medical history shows that the patient discovered lymph nodes in her neck so she went to the doctor, the diagnosis showed that it was lymphoma.
At the first medical facility, the patient was first treated with chemotherapy alone. After 2 years, the patient relapsed for the first time and received chemotherapy, with a response. However, after another 2 years, the patient relapsed for the second time, received chemotherapy for the second time, and still responded. In 2021, the patient relapsed for the third time, but the treatment was no longer responsive.
 |
Patient preparing to be taken for radiotherapy. Photo: BVCR |
At Cho Ray Hospital, assessing this as a case of relapsed and resistant lymphoma, the treatment team decided to choose new treatment methods. After consultation, the treatment team decided to simultaneously perform two advanced, specialized techniques: allogeneic stem cell transplantation combined with a bone marrow conditioning regimen with total body radiotherapy (TBI).
According to the treatment team, if the cancer cells are to be completely treated, the patient must first undergo chemotherapy to clear the cancer cells. Then, TBI is like a weapon that will wipe out the remaining cells hidden in the body. Finally, the patient will be cured after receiving a transplant of new blood cells.
The HO patient was treated with a treatment regimen of 3 consecutive days of total body radiation therapy, twice a day (morning and afternoon), each time lasting 35 - 40 minutes. After treatment, the patient was monitored and underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation. After 30 days of stem cell transplantation, the patient was assessed as having had a successful transplant and was discharged 45 days after transplantation. Currently, after treatment, the patient's health is stable, he has returned to work and returned to his normal daily activities.
According to Dr. Tran Thanh Tung, Head of the Hematology Department at Cho Ray Hospital, stem cell transplantation means taking blood stem cells and transfusing them to the patient. There are two methods: autotransplantation (taking the patient's own stem cells and transfusing them to the patient after chemotherapy) and allogeneic transplantation (also known as allogeneic transplantation, which is taking stem cells from a person who is compatible with the patient and transfusing them to the patient).
The patient had a relapse of treatment-resistant HO, so stem cells could not be harvested from the patient because there were still cancer cells in the blood. Therefore, it was necessary to apply the allogeneic stem cell transplant method. Fortunately, the patient's biological sister was completely healthy and had suitable indicators, so she donated her stem cells to her sister. And the patient had a successful allogeneic stem cell transplant.
 |
Doctors meet to discuss treatment plans for patients |
Dr. Nguyen Tri Thuc, Director of Cho Ray Hospital, said that by pioneering the simultaneous combination of two advanced, specialized techniques to successfully treat patients with lymphoma, Cho Ray Hospital has opened up opportunities for cancer patients, because this method has fewer side effects, fewer complications and a shorter hospital stay...
"In the future, we hope to have a collaboration between Cho Ray Hospital and hematology hospitals to increase the effectiveness of treatment for leukemia patients, contributing to improving the quality of life for patients," Dr. Nguyen Tri Thuc hopes.
TBI (total body irradiation) is a method that has been around since 1900 and has been indicated in cancer treatment since 1950. TBI is indicated in the treatment of some cancers that spread throughout the body such as hematological cancers, acute leukemia or lymphoma with metastasis to multiple lymph nodes.
The advantage is that radiation therapy can be used at all locations in the body to control cancer cells, helping to overcome some of the disadvantages of conventional chemotherapy.
Source
Comment (0)